Window Treatments & Décor Serving Snohomish County

Bringing the best in great design, light control, & energy efficiency to your home or business.

Hooray! It’s that time of year in Snohomish County! The birds are
chirping, the grass is green, the sun is shining...and even the Washington rain
comes with a sense of freshness. We tend to have this innate desire to create
space for new life by washing away the clutter and winter, giving fresh air to
our surroundings. But while you are launching into full Spring cleaning mode,
don’t forget these places which are most likely overlooked the rest of the
year.

Shades and Drapes

If you’re like most of us, you clean the windows and the
surrounding areas, but ignore the shades
and drapes
-- after all they are hanging freely and don’t hold on to any dust, right?
Wrong. But cleaning them isn’t as hard as you may think. Simply dust or vacuum
each side, paying extra attention towards the top where there may be extra
creases or pleats that will collect more dust than the rest of the fabric.
Then, scan the fabric for any broken or loose strings that will require either
a small stitch job or even just trimming away with a scissor. Do not use strong
detergents or spot removers, as they could cause the color to fade and weaken
the fibers.

Blinds and Shutters

Since most blinds
and shutters are either a wood or other type of of
non-fabric item, they are super simple to clean. You can use a feather or
microfiber duster, or make your own with a ruler and a sock! After dusting, use
a fabric dryer sheet along all parts as a hack to avoid dust collecting.

Knobs, Pulls,
Switches

Make sure not to ignore the little parts on all the drapes,
shutters, and motorized shades (switches!). Easy to clean, but also easy to
overlook. Take a cloth and wipe them down, making them smooth and shining for
the next time you need to put your hands on them.

Top Of Window
Treatments

Every type of window treatment has a top! The top will
always collect the most dust and is usually unseen unless you are either super
tall or intentionally take a peek. But the more dust the collects, the more
dust balls will drift down onto the rest of the fabric or the floor. Make sure
you take a few quick moments to use any type of duster preferable to wipe those
edges clean, having a domino effect on the rest of the window treatment.

Rugs

Area rugs are popular and a beautiful addition
to a room, especially complementing window treatments. However, they are dust
and dirt collectors that absolutely need cleaned on a regular basis - and
definitely deep cleaned during spring cleaning. First you want to make sure you
vacuum the rug, and comb out any pet hair. You can purchase a cleaner to wash
and dry your rug, depending on the size. A good tip for the rest of the year is
to keep the rug vacuumed, as well as rotating the rug quarterly to make sure it
wears evenly from foot traffic and sunlight.

Pillows and Bedding

You can’t forget where you sleep! Pillows
and bedding need washed periodically, even if they
are removed from the bed every night. Your skin oils and surrounding dust wear
on them constantly. Typically, pillow covers and bedding are easily washed in
the washing machine - just pay attention to the tags. Once you put on those
clean babies, you’ll feel so good when walking into the room! Open a window and
breath in the fresh air.

Washing Machine

Since you’ll be using your washing machine extra during
spring cleaning - better spring clean the machine too! You can fill your washer
up on the highest load and settings, while adding white vinegar and baking soda
and letting it run a full cycle. In the meantime, take a cloth and wipe around
all the nooks and crannies - ensuring your clothes and sheets come out as fresh
as can be.

Now, we know cleaning may not be everyone’s favorite thing
to do -- but when it comes to spring in Everett Washington, there’s just
something about it that causes a little more motivation. Enjoy yourself, turn
on some music, and get down to business now that you know a little more of what
you can do.